fromthemuses

 Has not he heard of the Prophet’s saying: “Allah loves for His bounties to be seen upon His servant.” And I seek refuge with Allah from “seeing” one’s self (rn’ya al-nafs) and from showing-off to others (ru’ya al-khalq), because he who sees himself will become arrogant (mtaqabbir). An arrogant person is foolish (abmaq) because surely there will be another person whom is better than him one way or another. He who shows-off to people actually worships them without knowing. As for he who works for Allah’s sake, will keep away from people. And if they come near him, he conceals his actions to cause them to stay away from him. Some people show-off but do not realize that they are doing so. They stop walking in the market place, visiting friends, and buying things bv themselves. Such behavior does bring prestige but only to real scholars. Bishr Al-Hafi used to sit in a spice shop. And better vet was our Prophet for he used to buy his goods and carry them himself. ‘Ali Ibn Abl Talib (rad...

  The hands of Zeus set it as a trap for him, [40] a beautiful misery. The gods accomplish everything according to their wishes; [50] the gods, who overtake even the flying eagle and outstrip the dolphin in the sea, and bend down many a man who is overly ambitious, while to others they give unaging glory. A crafty citizen is unable to speak a compelling word among noble men; and yet he fawns on everyone, weaving complete destruction. 3  I do not share his boldness. Let me be a friend to my friend; but I will be an enemy to my enemy, and pounce on him like a wolf, [85] treading every crooked path. Under every type of law the man who speaks straightforwardly prospers: in a tyranny, and where the raucous masses oversee the state, and where men of skill do. One must not fight against a god, who raises up some men's fortunes at one time, and at another gives great glory to others. But even this [90] does not comfort the minds of the envious; they pull the line too tight and plant a...